On its senior night, the Palo Alto High School boys’ soccer team (6-7-5, 2-4-4) will take on the Fremont High School Firebirds (4-11-2, 1-6-1) at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at Paly, as the team attempts to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The team’s three seniors, Cina Vazir, Neal Biswas and Tony Maharaj will be celebrated during the game with balloons, posters and a gift after the game.
The Vikings have a chance of qualifying for the CCS playoffs if they win their game tomorrow and also win or tie against Los Gatos High School (12-3-3, 9-0-1) on Friday.
Sophomore midfielder Siddharth Srinivasan says that the game tomorrow is crucial to the team.
“Winning tomorrow is extremely important for securing our spot in the league next season,” Srinivasan said. “And at the same time we want to give the seniors a win in their last home game.”
Senior goalkeeper Tony Maharaj is hoping for a win, but he and other members of the team have expressed frustration at the team’s inability to score goals. Maharaj hopes to ease this pressure by raising Paly’s defensive pressure.
“Hopefully no goals against [us],” Maharaj said. “A shutout.”
Assistant coach Amir Malekpour, a graduate of the Class of 2013, expressed uncertainty about the outcome of tomorrow’s game.
“We’ve lost to both teams before,” Malekpour said, adding that he believes Paly has a better chance at beating the Firebirds than the Wildcats.
Junior midfielder Preston Kuppe says that a win tomorrow will ensure that Paly is not relegated to a lower league again, like the Vikings were after the 2011-2012 season.
“If we win tomorrow I’ll be happy because then we stay in the upper league,” Kuppe said. “If we get one more win then there’s no way we can get relegated.”
The Vikings will kick off against the Firebirds at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow on the El Camino Field.